I’m completely blown away by the response and the engagement in my final publish about presumably taking my eating room and turning it right into a devoted play house with a view to carry some peace to my lounge. There have been so many nice concepts within the feedback; some that I made a decision weren’t proper for me, and others that I acted on.
So immediately, I need to stroll you thru what has modified since I wrote that publish just a few weeks in the past, the place I presently am mentally about all of it, and the place I’m planning to go along with each areas.
In the beginning, the recommendation I knew I wanted however simply didn’t have the impetus to behave on: GET RID OF HALF THE TOYS! Whereas lots of you really useful I purge, I’m coming into section one in all this: maintain nearly the whole lot (aside from the issues my daughter is clearly too previous for), and discover a method to rotate issues out. I’ll discover that I don’t need to spend the power rotating, and that nobody misses something that’s tucked away ready its return, and it’ll be refreshing to know I can cross issues on to different households.
One other piece of recommendation I used to be given was to choose one house, designate it because the “grownup” room, and make changes to the opposite to accommodate my toddler and all her stuff. After loads of hemming and hawing that helped us understand what we actually wanted *and* needed, I made a decision to really depart my eating room how it’s: as a eating house and informal house workplace for myself.
However that’s to not say there aren’t issues I can do to our present dwelling house to make it much less cluttered AND ALSO a extra sensible play house. Let’s get into it.
Right here’s The place We Began
Alright, so the above and beneath have been the arrange of the toy state of affairs in each my dwelling and eating areas. What’s wild is I keep in mind taking these photographs not even three weeks in the past and pondering “I imply, it’s not that unhealthy, is it?” I knew it may use enchancment—in any other case what was even the purpose of writing the publish—however I had gone so blind to the toys stacked on prime of the toys that it felt regular to me.
I take a look at it now and my eyes really feel uncomfortable. Heavy. Dizzy. Overwhelmed. There are puzzles on prime of puzzles, issues pushed behind stacks of books, drawers that might barely open as a result of they have been stuffed to the brim. I do know now that my daughter performed in spite of the insanity, not due to it.
Somebody within the feedback really useful bringing this one IKEA Trofast unit right down to the lounge so all of them lived collectively, and it made me keep in mind that that was at all times the purpose, however we couldn’t handle it as a result of we had an excessive amount of else in the way in which. The little messy-looking desk there was a child exercise heart that comes aside to change into a toddler desk. We maintain it within the eating room as a result of I really feel okay with my daughter utilizing her finger paints, watercolors and acrylics right here the place there’s restricted potential for everlasting harm (it’s additionally the place she performs along with her kinetic sand so it doesn’t get lodged into the carpet). Spoiler: I haven’t but provide you with an answer for the place she will be able to do her arts and crafts, however hey…possibly somebody right here will know what to do!
The place We Are Now
OMG THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER I’M SCREAMING. Two Sundays in the past, throughout my daughter’s nap, I placed on my sound cancelling headphones, blasted early 2000s jams, and set to work. I went drawer by drawer, pulling issues out. I assessed the whole lot we had, organized them by groupings, then took half (or extra) of any given class of issues, and put them away in bins I already had in my storage. I additionally collected the entire toys she was properly previous the suitable age for and put them in a bin to avoid wasting for a possible future baby. If that baby by no means comes, then buh bye.
I additionally took out my label maker and labeled the bins by tough class: issues like “balls and automobiles” and “costume up” and “paint provides.” There are two bins I couldn’t fairly pin down however I’m okay with that for now. I will be versatile, in any case (she says, twitching).
All of the stuff that was crammed on prime mainly disappeared except my daughter’s Tonies (slightly music field that performs songs and tales), the dimensions she likes to throw issues in, and a few books she grabs often.
I additionally cleared out 2/3 of my IKEA Besta unit beneath the TV wall for some closed storage. Thus far, she nearly by no means opens these to play with something in there, so which may not work for the lengthy haul (except it’s extra of a financial institution than an in-play storage resolution).
Right here’s the whole lot I pulled out of her stash and put aside. One among these goes into the storage, and the others are going into her closet to be rotated in the beginning of each month. It’s what we’re calling our “toy library” and my woman was such a champ about it. It’s really fairly merciless to depart these out for her to stroll by every single day, asking me when she will get to play with the toys in her library haha. However there’s a little shift that must be completed in her bed room to permit room for these. Hopefully it may be full in per week or so as soon as I discover her a dresser (and transfer a small, not-so-functional dresser out of her closet).
It’s arduous to imagine that ALL OF THIS was downstairs in the lounge. The lounge STILL has too many toys in it, even after taking these away. In an excellent world, I’ll get to a spot the place we’ve half what we presently have now, however I’ve gotta begin someplace. Hear, I’m the kind of one who brings 14 lingerie in my suitcase for a 3-day trip “simply in case,” so it’s not simple to simply chuck three-quarters of my daughter’s prized possessions. I do know the research about how youngsters focus more durable and longer and play higher once they have fewer issues to play with, so I’ll get there ultimately. Give me grace, please. 🙂
The place We’re Going
So, a part of the plan for the dwelling house was to make it work higher as a play house, which for me meant two issues: 1) Make it look extra enjoyable by giving it slightly refresh, and a couple of) Swap out the espresso desk for one thing small that could possibly be moved out of the way in which to create an open play space.
As a result of our rug has completely different pile heights, it’s pretty horrible at facilitating issues like balls or automobiles rolling, little toddler chairs being pushed out and in, and even sliding a espresso desk round to make room for…something. To not point out it’s had three years of fixed dwelling with a small baby and has dot marker blemishes, embedded kinetic sand and dried Playdoh…it’s a full-on Monet. Appears fairly from afar, however a giant previous mess up shut. I nonetheless love the rug and plan on getting it professionally cleaned, and saving it for when we’ve a bigger house someday in want of rugs.
Swapping out the rug form of impressed me to think about just a few fashion swaps for another issues within the house, principally to make it really feel extra “us” now: colourful, playful and pleased. Right here’s what I’ve provide you with, shortly:
Sectional | Rug | Espresso Desk | Blue Oak Doorways for Besta Unit | Curtain | Quilt | Yellow Bolster | Olive Spherical Pillow | Flax Linen Pillow | Floral Pillow | Strong Burgundy Pillow
I do know I don’t need a rug that can add an excessive amount of visible litter as a result of that’s what I’m actively combating in opposition to. I like the thought of a stable shade rug, but additionally just like the refined sample on this olive and cream grid. My present white curtains have at all times been too quick for that window (a maintain over from my earlier house), and have been put up one weekend as a “only for now” resolution to offer privateness…that has lasted two years. I’ve toyed with a sample right here, as properly, however fear that the sheer variety of panels wanted to cowl this three-pane sliding glass door can be A LOT for my senses. A gentle steely blue is extra up my alley proper now.
Oh, and for anybody who remembers my publish about updating my IKEA Besta unit, I like the sunshine blue stain of those door fronts, tops and sides from Fronteriors. I imagine the colour is definitely a bit brighter in actual life, nevertheless it’s so enjoyable and completely different!
I believe a smaller rectangular espresso desk would work much better than the two-tiered spherical one we’ve now, and I envision taking it and pushing it in opposition to the wall the place one of many Trofast models is (which I plan on shifting upstairs probably). It may function a “desk” for my woman because it’s a great top for her present chair; this could open up the middle of the room for extra taking part in. Then, after bedtime, when it’s grownup time, we will simply shift the desk again into place to carry our drinks, laptops, informal dinners, and so forth. I’m not bought on this precise desk, as I’d want to search out one thing stable wooden and second hand, however that’s the gist of what I’d be on the lookout for.
Okay, so now an thought I’m throwing round my mind cells:
Storage Unit: Trofast Storage Mixture | Material: Siena Stripe Linen, Buff | Trim: Ric Rac Tape Medium
I’ve some blended emotions about this. The “design-y” a part of me loves making an attempt new issues and difficult myself to search out options to “issues.” However the guardian in me doesn’t need to cowl my child’s stuff and make them must work to play. Will she see this curtain and internalize that her “stuff” is by some means less-than in her own residence? “Mama, why are my toys hiding?” I can nearly hear her asking me. “Properly, child, mama’s mind can’t deal with seeing a lot of various things abruptly so I put up a enjoyable curtain, similar to over the home windows! Let’s see what we will discover behind them!” Eh, I’m not touchdown that one.
Anyway, I digress. I’m intrigued by the idea, however the execution is in query. A method round my woman feeling like her toys are in day out is probably to not have the curtains up more often than not, however as a substitute, having them readily available to place up (presumably with velcro?) when it’s simply adults within the room or I want a psychological/visible break from the litter. I do fear that it’ll all get too cloth heavy, however in actual life they wouldn’t have so many folds in them. I grabbed that picture off the web to make use of right here and I’d create one thing flatter. This is identical cloth I’ve on my curtains in my kitchen (from Tonic Residing), and I adore it. It has such a gentle stripe that provides some oomph with out being overkill. An sudden crimson second through some ric rac trim may shake issues up.
Now, on to my eating room…
Whereas I nonetheless have all these bins (a.okay.a. the toy library) hanging out on one aspect, as soon as I make room in my daughter’s closet for the overflow, this house will likely be principally an “grownup” house. She’s in fact welcome to play in right here, however when the whole lot is tucked away, that is MINE. What’s fascinating after I look again at this picture is how homogenous it feels. In actual life, it’s really a lot much less boring to my eye. It feels peaceable (after I’m not taking a look at bins of toys and artwork provides and paint-smudged toddler tables) and pleased, particularly when the curtains are open. However I can see that it may actually use a rug to floor it. I skipped having a rug right here as a result of my then one-year-old used to eat all her meals right here earlier than we arrange the breakfast nook, and it was such a gross mess on the ground on a regular basis. No rug would have survived it.
However she’s principally a civil eater now and barely frequents this desk anyway, so it’s time to lastly get what I would like: a rug.
These are just a few I’m taking a look at:
Left: Danish Floral Flat-Weave Wool Rug | Center: Pink, Olive and Beige Conventional Classic Heriz Serapi Wool Rug | Proper: Marli Flatweave Wool Rug by Nina Freudenberger
The Danish Floral rug on the left (particularly the ochre one) makes my coronary heart sing. I’ve been itching so as to add in some extra folk-y prints someplace, and I believe it performs properly with the dwelling house. The rug within the center is one I’ve crushed on for shut to 5 years, nevertheless it is perhaps too closely printed for what I’m after. And this Nina Freudenberger rug from Lulu & Georgia is one other I’ve admired for years, although I fear the colours are too muted. I’m undecided but, however I do know something can be an enormous enchancment.
I’d additionally like to get well the lampshades on my sconces, and determine my curtains as a result of these are a piece in progress. In my final publish, I talked about possibly swapping the bar for a bookcase, and that’s a chance, as properly, however I’m going little by little and undecided it’s what the room wants, essentially.
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In order that’s the place I’ve landed. It’s all a piece in progress, however I already really feel SO SO SO a lot better sitting in my lounge. I actually really feel my soul take a deep sigh of aid after I sit on the sofa now and go searching. Everybody, together with our babysitter, is aware of the place all of the toys will be put away because of my labeling, and a few massive cumbersome issues that used to stay on the ground or beneath the espresso desk now have room contained in the TV cupboard. Issues are wanting up, folks.
Due to everybody for all of your recommendation. No, I’m not making any drastic strikes right here, however that is only a reminder to everybody that it’s not at all times big adjustments that make our houses work and really feel higher, however the little issues. Cleansing out one drawer, decluttering one nook, freshening up your curtains…small shifts that may breathe new life into you, your room, and your life.
Keep tuned on this, and as at all times, when you have any extra recommendation, please chime in within the feedback! Till subsequent time…
